Weighted Band Assembly For Headwear And Related Systems And Methods

ABSTRACT

A weighted band assembly for an article of headwear includes an elongate body having an article engaging portion and an outer portion, the elongate body extends at least partially around at least one internal compartment of the weighted band assembly, and at least one weighted insert positioned in the at least one internal compartment to provide a downward force on the article of headwear in a direction of a head of a wearer of the article of headwear. The elongate body is for being secured to at least one portion of the article of headwear so that the force provided by the at least one weighted insert maintains contact of the article with the head of the wearer in the presence of substantial wind or air resistance.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to headwear and related systems and methods, and in one embodiment, to a weighted band assembly for being supported on an article of headwear to resist unwanted movement of the article of headwear due to wind and/or air resistance.

BACKGROUND

Headwear, such as hats, are available in different shapes and sizes and are worn for a wide variety of occasions/uses. Typically, hats are positioned on or about a wearer's head, and are intended to remain in such general position until deliberate removal, save for minor adjustments by the wearer.

In some instances, environmental conditions, such as weather conditions or environments created by activities of the wearer, can lead to external forces being exerted on the hat or other headwear article that tend to move the hat from a desired position on the wearer's head, or to separate the hat from the wearer's head entirely. For example, windy conditions or situations in which substantial air/wind resistance is present, e.g., during higher speed activities such as boating, jet skiing, etc., can result in a hat or other headwear article slipping or being removed entirely from a wearer's head, which can cause embarrassment, distraction, expose the wearer's head and/or torso to the sun's rays and other natural elements, incur costs for the wearer in the case of lost or damaged articles, etc.

In this regard, it can be seen that a need exists for maintaining the position of a hat or other headwear article on a wearer's head in windy environments or environments in which substantial air/wind resistance is present. It would further be desirable to provide such a solution that is comfortable, fashionable, and unobtrusive, to name a few. The present disclosure addresses these and other related and unrelated problems in the art.

SUMMARY

According to one aspect of the disclosure, a weighted band assembly for an article of headwear comprises an elongate body having an article engaging portion and an outer portion, the elongate body extends at least partially around at least one internal compartment of the weighted band assembly, and at least one weighted insert positioned in the at least one internal compartment to provide a downward force on the article of headwear in a direction of a head of a wearer of the article of headwear. The elongate body is for being secured to at least one portion of the article of headwear so that the downward force provided by the at least one weighted insert maintains contact of the article with the head of the wearer in the presence of substantial wind or air resistance.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, a method of maintaining contact of an article of headwear with a head of a wearer includes obtaining a weighted band assembly comprising an elongate body extending at least partially around at least one internal compartment, the weighted band assembly comprising at least one weighted insert positioned in the at least one internal compartment. The method further comprises securing the weighted band assembly to the article of headwear so that the at least one weighted insert provides a force on the article in a direction of the head of the wearer to maintain contact of the article with the head of the wearer in the presence of substantial wind or air resistance.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, a weighted headwear system for maintaining contact of an article of headwear with a head of a wearer comprises the article of headwear, the article of headwear comprising a crown portion and a brim extending outwardly from the crown portion, and a weighted band assembly secured to the crown portion of the article of headwear. The weighted band assembly comprises an elongate body having an article engaging portion and an outer portion, the elongate body extends at least partially around at least one internal compartment of the weighted band assembly, and at least one weighted insert positioned in the at least one internal compartment to maintain a force on the article of headwear in a direction of the head of the wearer. The elongate body of the weighted band assembly is secured to the crown portion of the article of headwear to maintain contact of the article with the head of the wearer in the presence of substantial wind or air resistance.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate the benefits of various additional embodiments reading the following detailed description of the embodiments with reference to the below-listed drawing figures. It is within the scope of the present disclosure that the above-discussed embodiments be provided both individually and in various combinations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

According to common practice, the various features of the drawings discussed below are not necessarily drawn to scale. Dimensions of various features and elements in the drawings may be expanded or reduced to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a weighted band assembly for an article of headwear according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the weighted band assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the weighted band assembly of FIG. 1 being attached to an article of headwear according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a weighted headwear system including the weighted band assembly and the article of headwear shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the weighted headwear system of FIG. 4 in the presence of substantial wind/air resistance.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate and understand that, according to common practice, the various features of the drawings discussed below are not necessarily drawn to scale, and that the dimensions of various features and elements of the drawings may be expanded or reduced to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention as described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure generally relates to headwear articles and related systems and methods, for example, a weighted band assembly for being supported on a hat or other headwear article to resist unwanted movement of the hat due to substantial wind and/or air resistance.

Referring to FIG. 1, a weighted band assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure is generally designated 101. As shown, the weighted band assembly 101 has an elongate body 103 with an upper edge 105, a lower edge 107, and a first side edge 109 and a second side edge 111 that each extend from the upper edge 105 to the lower edge 107. While the elongate body 103 is shown having a generally trapezoidal shape, e.g., such that the lower edge 107 is longer than the upper edge 105, it will be understood that the elongate body 103 can have a different shape and/or configuration without departing from the disclosure.

The side edge 109 of the elongate body 103 can be a free edge of the weighted band assembly 101 that is presented on a first end portion 113 of the elongate body 103, and the side edge 111 of the elongate body 103 can be a free edge of the weighted band assembly 101 that is presented on a second end portion 115 of the elongate body 103.

As shown, the elongate body 103 of the weighted band assembly 101 can have an interior-facing or article engaging portion 117 and an outward-facing or outer portion 119 opposite the article engaging portion 117 (FIG. 3). As described further herein, the body 103 can be formed from a single layer of material, or can be formed of multiple joined layers of material. Such material can be provided with printed or embroidered indicia, other graphics, logos, etc.

As also shown, a pair of apertures 121 can be provided on the elongate body 103, and can be formed by respective aperture defining structures such as grommets 123. The aperture defining structures can have a different configuration, e.g., stitching, without departing from the disclosure.

The elongate body 103 of the weighted band assembly 101 can be formed from a material suitable for exposure to substantial wind/air resistance environments and/or for engagement with an article of headwear. In this regard, the elongate body 103 can be formed from a fabric material, e.g., canvas, cotton, wool, hemp, blends thereof, etc., and can be at least partially formed from polymeric materials/blends thereof. Such materials can be treated, for example, to be water-resistant/waterproof, to have quick drying capabilities, to be UV-resistant, etc.

In one embodiment, the elongate body 103 can be at least partially formed from one or more elastomeric materials, e.g., so as to be stretchable and/or biased to return to a resting condition to fit headwear articles of various sizes and configurations. In one embodiment, the elongate body 103 can be at least partially formed from dyed or otherwise treated acrylic material, such as in fabrics available from Sunbrella® of Burlington, N.C.

Still referring to FIG. 1, and referring additionally to FIG. 2, the body 103 of the weighted band assembly 101 is arranged so that at least one internal compartment 125 is positioned between the article engaging portion 117 and the outer portion 119. In the illustrated embodiment, a plurality of internal compartments 125 can be positioned between the first end portion 113 and the second end portion 115, and can be separated from one another, for example, by stitching 127 or another suitable partition.

At least one weighted insert 129 can be positioned in a respective internal compartment 125 so as to increase the weight of the weighted band assembly 101. One or more of the weighted inserts 129 can have a body formed of a material that his generally heavier than the material forming the elongate body 103. Accordingly, one or more of the weighted inserts can be formed of a generally relatively dense material, e.g., a metallic material. It will be understood that the weighted inserts 129 can be formed from additional or alternative materials, for example, polymeric materials, ceramic materials, beaded materials, granular materials, etc. In this regard, the weighted inserts 129 can be formed of one or more selected materials to have a desired arrangement and weight, for example, so that a total weight and/or weight distribution of the weighted band assembly 101 can be selected via reconfiguration and/or rearrangement of the weighted inserts 129.

For example, in one embodiment, one or more of the compartments 127 can be selected so as to be devoid of a weighted insert 129, e.g., to influence an overall weight and/or weight distribution of the weighted band assembly 101. In one embodiment, the body 103 of the weighted band assembly 101 can include on or more openings or access points, e.g., flaps, slits, pockets, zippers, buttons, snaps, hook and loop attachments, etc., to access and selectively insert or remove weighted inserts 129 from selected internal compartments 127. In one embodiment, the weighted band assembly 101 can weigh up to and including about 1 lb., for example, about 0.1 lb., about 0.2 lb., about 0.3 lb., about 0.4 lb., about 0.5 lb., about 0.6 lb., about 0.7 lb., about 0.8 lb., about 0.9 lb., and about 1 lb., to name a few, and including numbers therebetween as well as weights less than 0.1 lb. Alternatively, the weighted band assembly 101 can have any suitable weight without departing from the disclosure.

It will be understood that the internal compartments 127 and the weighted inserts 129 of the weighted band assembly 101 can have a different configuration without departing from the disclosure. For example, a different number or arrangement of internal compartments 127 can be provided. In one embodiment, a single internal compartment 127 can be provided, e.g., so that the interior of the body 103 of the weighted band assembly 101 is generally in the form of a sleeve. As another example, a different number or arrangement of weighted inserts 129 can be provided, e.g., a continuous length of weighted material, a series of joined or otherwise coupled weighted inserts, etc. In still another embodiment, the body 103 of the weighted band assembly 101 can be formed of a material with a sufficient weight, e.g., a metallic material, so as to obviate the inclusion of one or more of the weighted inserts 129. One or more of the weighted inserts 129 can be, in one example, a metal block or metal plate.

Turning to FIG. 3, the weighted band assembly 101 can be attached or otherwise engaged with an article of headwear A, such as a hat including a crown portion C for at least partially receiving/engaging a head of a wearer, and a brim portion or brim B extending outwardly from the crown portion C.

It will be understood that the weighted band assembly 101 can be used with a variety of different configurations/sizes/shapes of headwear, which can be formed from desired materials suitable for use in a variety of environments. In one embodiment, the article of headwear A can be formed from one or more of a composite material and a polymeric material, e.g., felt material, straw material, leather, cotton, nylon, acrylic, etc.

As shown, the weighted band assembly 101 can be positioned at least partially around the crown portion C of the article of headwear A, e.g., by at least partially wrapping the body 103 of the weighted band assembly 101 around the crown portion C. In one embodiment, the weighted band assembly 101 can be at least partially supported on the brim B of the article of headwear A.

With additional reference to FIG. 4, the end portions 113, 115 of the body 103 can extend away from, e.g., rearwardly from, the crown portion C of the article of headwear A. In this regard, the end portions 113, 115 of the body 103 of the weighted band assembly 101 can be engaged with one another to secure the weighted band assembly 101 to the article of headwear A. In the illustrated embodiment, the end portions 113, 115 can be tied together, e.g., in a bow, knot, or other arrangement that rests against the crown portion C and/or the brim B of the article of headwear A.

In another embodiment, the body 103 of the weighted band assembly 101 can be provided with one or more securing features to connect portions of the weighted band assembly 101 and/or to secure the weighted band assembly 101 to the article of headwear A. For example, one or more portions of the weighted band assembly 101 can include buckles, straps, snaps, hook-and-loop features, buttons, tabs/slots, etc., for engagement with a complementary feature on the weighted band assembly 101 and/or the article of headwear A. In one embodiment, the apertures 121 on the body 103 of the weighted band assembly 101 can be used to at least partially receive at least one securing feature to secure the weighted band assembly 101 to the article of headwear A. Such securing features could be, for example, ties, clasps, clamps, ribbons, etc.

While the body 103 of the weighted band assembly 101 has been shown having a generally flexible/reconfigurable construction, it will be understood that the weighted band assembly 101 can be provided with one or more at least partially rigid shaping features and/or biasing members to urge the weighted band assembly 101 to conform to a preselected shape or arrangement. In one embodiment the weighted band assembly 101 can have a body 103 provided with one or more stretchable materials such that the weighted band assembly 101, when stretched/dilated, tends to return to a resting configuration and exerts a compressive force on the crown portion C of the article of headwear A to secure the weighted band assembly 101 to the article of headwear A.

In one embodiment, the weighted band assembly 101 can be provided together with the article of headwear A as a weighted headwear system 100.

With additional reference to FIG. 5, the weighted band assembly 101 can be secured to at least a portion of the article of headwear A to provide a generally downward force F in the direction of a head H of a wearer to maintain contact with the article A with the head H of the wearer. Such configuration of the weighted band assembly 101 and arrangement about the article of headwear H can maintain contact/positioning of the article of headwear A with the head H of the wearer in conditions with substantial wind/air resistance, e.g., wind/air resistance that would otherwise tend to cause unwanted movement or complete removal of the article of headwear A relative to the head H of the wearer in the absence of the weighted band assembly 101. It will be understood that the weighted band assembly can also maintain contact/positioning of the article of headwear A with the head H of the wearer in conditions with less than such substantial wind/air resistance.

For example, and as shown in FIG. 5, the force of the weighted band assembly 101 on the article of headwear H can maintain contact/engagement of the article of headwear A with the head H of the wearer in air resistance/wind W associated with a relative speed of up to about 30 mph against environmental air. Accordingly, the weighted band assembly 101 is suitable for use in low-to-moderate-to high speed activities, for example, boating or powerboating.

Such maintenance of the article of headwear A in contact/engagement with the head H of the wearer by the weighted band assembly 101 can provide a hands-free configuration in which the wearer can enjoy chosen activities without constant attention to the securement and positioning of an article of headwear A relative to his or her head H. In addition to providing peace of mind, minimization of loss of such articles, maintenance of the positioning of the article of headwear A on the head H of the wearer to provide sun protection, etc., the weighted band assembly 101 can obviate the use of other article securing structures, e.g., chin straps, that may be unwieldy or uncomfortable.

It will be understood that one or both of the weighted headwear system 100 and the weighted band assembly 101 can be provided with a different configuration without departing from the disclosure. For example, in one embodiment, an article of headwear can be provided with a weighted band assembly positioned in an interior of a crown portion of the article of headwear. In another embodiment, one or more of the weighted inserts 129 can be embedded within or directly attached to one or more portions of an article of headwear.

The foregoing description generally illustrates and describes various embodiments of the present invention. It will, however, be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made to the above-discussed construction of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed herein, and that it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as being illustrative, and not to be taken in a limiting sense.

Furthermore, the scope of the present disclosure shall be construed to cover various modifications, combinations, additions, alterations, etc., above and to the above-described embodiments, which shall be considered to be within the scope of the present invention. It therefore will be understood by those skilled in the art that while the present invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments, numerous variations, modifications, and additions can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the following claims. Accordingly, various features and characteristics of the present invention as discussed herein may be selectively interchanged and applied to other illustrated and non-illustrated embodiments of the invention, and numerous variations, modifications, and additions further can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A weighted band assembly for an article of headwear, comprising: an elongate body having an article engaging portion and an outer portion, the elongate body extends at least partially around at least one internal compartment of the weighted band assembly; and at least one weighted insert positioned in the at least one internal compartment to provide a downward force on the article of headwear in a direction of a head of a wearer of the article of headwear, the elongate body is for being secured to at least one portion of the article of headwear so that the downward force provided by the at least one weighted insert maintains contact of the article with the head of the wearer in the presence of substantial wind or air resistance.
 2. The weighted band assembly of claim 1, wherein the outer portion of the elongate body is attached to the article engaging portion of the elongate body to form the at least one compartment.
 3. The weighted band assembly of claim 2, wherein the at least one internal compartment comprises a plurality of internal compartments.
 4. The weighted band assembly of claim 3, wherein the at least one weighted insert comprises a plurality of weighted inserts, each weighted insert positioned in a respective compartment of the plurality of internal compartments.
 5. The weighted band assembly of claim 4, wherein at least one insert of the plurality of weighted inserts is a metal block.
 6. The weighted band assembly of claim 1, wherein the elongate body is for being wrapped around a crown portion of the article of headwear.
 7. The weighted band assembly of claim 6, wherein the elongate body has a first end portion and a second end portion, and the first end portion is for being engaged with the second end portion to secure the elongate body to the at least one portion of the article of headwear.
 8. The weighted band assembly of claim 7, wherein the first end portion and the second end portion are for being tied together.
 9. A method of maintaining contact of an article of headwear with a head of a wearer, the method comprising: obtaining a weighted band assembly comprising an elongate body extending at least partially around at least one internal compartment, the weighted band assembly comprising at least one weighted insert positioned in the at least one internal compartment; and securing the weighted band assembly to the article of headwear so that the at least one weighted insert provides a force on the article in a direction of the head of the wearer to maintain contact of the article with the head of the wearer in the presence of substantial wind or air resistance.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the outer portion of the elongate body is joined to the article engaging portion of the elongate body to form the at least one compartment.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one internal compartment comprises a plurality of internal compartments and the at least one weighted insert comprises a plurality of weighted inserts, each weighted insert positioned in a respective compartment of the plurality of internal compartments.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one insert of the plurality of weighted inserts is a metal block.
 13. The method of claim 9, wherein securing the weighted band assembly comprises wrapping the elongate body around a crown portion of the article of headwear.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the elongate body has a first end portion and a second end portion, and the securing the weighted band assembly comprises engaging the first end portion with the second end portion.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the securing the weighted band assembly comprises tying the first end portion with the second end portion.
 16. A weighted headwear system for maintaining contact of an article of headwear with a head of a wearer, the system comprising: the article of headwear, the article of headwear comprising a crown portion and a brim extending outwardly from the crown portion; and a weighted band assembly secured to the crown portion of the article of headwear, the weighted band assembly comprising: an elongate body having an article engaging portion and an outer portion, the elongate body extends at least partially around at least one internal compartment of the weighted band assembly; and at least one weighted insert positioned in the at least one internal compartment to maintain a force on the article of headwear in a direction of the head of the wearer, the elongate body of the weighted band assembly is secured to the crown portion of the article of headwear to maintain contact of the article with the head of the wearer in the presence of substantial wind or air resistance.
 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the outer portion of the elongate body is joined to the article engaging portion of the elongate body to form the at least one compartment.
 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one internal compartment comprises a plurality of internal compartments and the at least one weighted insert comprises a plurality of weighted inserts, each weighted insert positioned in a respective compartment of the plurality of internal compartments.
 19. The system of claim 18, wherein at least one insert of the plurality of weighted inserts is a metal block.
 20. The system of claim 16, wherein the elongate body has a first end portion and a second end portion, the elongate body is wrapped around the crown portion of the article and the first end portion is tied with the second end portion. 